Grand Lies by JC Hawke

34

Nina

“Keep your fucking voice down!”I hiss, moving to the double doors and pulling them closed. I do not need the boys hearing this. “Scarlet, when was the accident?”

“Must have been a good couple months ago? I think,” she tells me, and my body heats instantly, a cold sweat breaking out across my skin.

“Fucking hell.” Lucy fans her face, her eyes wild.

“Calm down. I’m not fucking pregnant.” My eyes flick between them all, my stomach in knots. “Cocktails. I need a cocktail. You’re all a bunch of drama queens.”

I move to the bathroom and close the door. Needing the space from them. I’m not easily influenced, but the way the girls were looking at me has panic clawing its way up my chest.

I look in the mirror and eye the slight swell that sits below my belly button.

Lowering my hand, I stretch the skin, noticing how the bulge only protrudes farther.

I’m due on. I know I am. And I always bloat. That with the bread we had last night and all the alcohol, it’s given me bad bloat.

The door knocks open against my back, and I move to let the girls in. None of them say a word, and their silence pisses me off more than their probing.

Lucy pulls back my hair and starts braiding it while Megan drops sandals at my feet. Scarlet follows their lead, blotting at my cheeks before covering my face with a ton of makeup.

I hadn’t realised I was crying.

* * *

Mase

Nina has beenquiet all night, and I don’t know why. I just know something is wrong.

Maybe it’s because I brought up marriage. I know it was too soon, but she has seemed okay since I told her not to worry about it.

It’s something else.

Everyone has gone to bed, but I’m still up, sitting on the terrace and watching as the waves crash against the rocks in the distance. It’s been an incredible week with everyone, but I know I have things to deal with when I get home. Dad didn’t get around to managing his affairs, and if we don’t handle it right, then the properties he owned could end up in the wrong hands.

We need to be smart.

I just don’t want to deal with it yet. With any of it.

“Mase?” Scarlet’s soft voice pulls me from my thoughts as she drops to the seat next to me. “Can’t sleep?” I ask.

She shakes her head, and I pull her into my side. We used to do this when we were young. Only Mum and Dad would be cuddled up on the other sofa.

“Do you think about them?” she asks after a while, so quietly I almost don’t catch it.

“All the time,” I tell her honestly.

“Me too. I like being here. We should’ve come out together sooner.”

“I know, and I’m sorry, Scar,” I say against her head. “I’ve been shit, and it isn’t fair on you.”

“Everyone deals with grief differently, Mason. It’s how you move forward that will show me you’re not a complete ass.”

My chest vibrates with a light chuckle.

“There is something I need to tell you,” she says, leaning her head back against my arm so she can see my face. “I spoke to Dad’s doctor at the house that day.”

My heart jolts in my chest. How can she talk about it so frankly?

Why is my baby sister stronger than I am?

“He never received any treatment offered.”

“What?” I snap, my face screwing up as I look down at her. “What do you mean?”

“He rejected the option of having a transplant. He didn’t think he deserved one.”

“He knew he was going to die?”

“Yeah, maybe not as soon as he did. But Dr Sarnmer told me he was aware the end was near. Nearer than we thought anyway.”

“Why didn’t he tell us? Tell you?”

He wouldn’t have told me. He probably thought I didn’t care.

“Because he knew we would never have allowed it.”

“Fucking hell.”

“Sorry, I just thought you should know,” she whispers.

I wish I didn’t. He spent months at the house knowing he would die and didn’t do a thing about it.

“He met Nina.” She smiles. “I know having you come to the house was important to him. He saw the shift, Mason.”

“Yeah.”

She smiles up at me knowingly, and I glare back, unsure of what is about to leave her mouth. “Nina told me about the proposal.”

“It wasn’t a proposal!” I drop my head back. Why did I ever say that? I should have kept my mouth closed.

She laughs. “She isn’t as freaked out as you think. She just wasn’t expecting it.”

I shake my head, thinking about my stubborn Pixie. She drives me crazy in the best possible way.

“She’s special. You did good,” Scarlet tells me.

“I only mentioned it because I felt like I could see it. You know, marriage, kids, a place out of the city. I know how desperately she craves a home—something more than she had.”

“Kids? Did you just say kids?”

“Not yet.” I shake my head, smiling. “But in the future, with Nina? Absolutely.”

“Interesting.”

“Yeah.” Real fucking interesting since she point blank told me no.

* * *

Nina

The last fewdays have passed in a blur. The girls haven’t mentioned what happened, and I’m grateful. I’ve still not had my period, and although I’ve tried to bury my head in the sand about it, my conscience has been working overtime.

I’ve barely drunk, and I have faked two migraines to get out of the evening drinking sessions. No one suspected a thing, and I didn’t make a big deal out of it, but the girls know me. They can tell I’m rattled.

It’s our final day on the island, and we are supposed to be going out for the day. The boys told us to be ready for ten a.m. but wouldn’t tell us what we are doing.

Slinging my towel over my shoulder, I leave our room and go in search of the girls. Mase was already up and gone when I woke this morning.

I have no idea what they have planned, but the secrecy is exciting. Lucy thinks it’s a boat trip around the island, and I hope she is right.

The girls are already out on the patio when I round the corner, and it’s the first time I’ve gotten the chance to have them all alone without prying ears, so I use it to my advantage.

“Hey!” I step up to them. “When we get home, we need to meet up. I’m going to buy a test. Put my mind at ease.” I say nonchalantly, pulling my hair into a high pony.

I can see the surprised looks on their faces, but none of them question me.

Lucy finds her tongue first. “We will come to you. Maybe before Mase finishes work one day?”

“He has a stag do on Saturday night, Elliot’s friend. You can come over then.”

“Good idea. I’ll bring wine.” Megan winks, trying to lighten the mood.

“I can’t wait that long.” Lucy panics.

“Well I’m not doing it when he is around!” I hiss.

“When who is around?” Mason’s arms wrap around my stomach, pulling me back into his hard chest.

I twist and look up at him, plastering a fake smile on my face.

“Hey, you.” I relax into him, the warmth of his large body soothing my inner turmoil.

He gives me a look, and I know he is up to something. “You girls ready for today?”

“What exactly are we doing?” I ask, nerves fluttering in my stomach.

* * *

“No fucking way.”

Lucy stands on the edge of the clifftop, her eyes wild as they flick towards the boys as if they have gone mad.

As much as I find her dramatics funny, I can’t help but agree with her. There is no way I am jumping off the edge of this thing.

“God, it’s been years. It never seemed so high as a child.” Scarlet smiles, chucking her towel to the side and rocking on her heels.

“You’ve done this before?” I ask her, just as she steps up to the ledge.

“Yeah! Come on.” She steps forward, and I hold my breath, watching as she jumps off and falls to the water.

“Yes, Scar!” Elliot yells.

The boys all shout and holla, Charlie and Lance taking a run-up and following Scarlet’s lead.

“No fucking way,” Lucy snorts, moving three steps back.

“I’m game.” Megan smiles, hands on hips as she bounces with excitement.

Elliot steps up next to her and points to the water. “Make sure you step out far enough to avoid the rocks. We checked it this morning, and it’s plenty deep enough. Aim for the others, and you’ll be fine.”

“Megs!” Lucy warns, panic in her voice.

“Shut up, princess,” Elliot tells her. “You’re next.”

Megan steps up to the edge, her hands curled into fists. Looking back at us, she screams. “Shit! Fucker! Fuck! Ahhhh.”

We all laugh as she lurches forward and jumps off. I count to five in my head before she hits the water.

It’s so high up.

“Coming, baby?” Mason takes my waist and pulls me to him.

He knows I’m nervous. Should I jump? What if…

“Nina, I don’t think you should be doing that. This is so dangerous.” Lucy stands and moves to the edge. “Jesus, it makes me feel sick just looking that far—” Elliot’s hand shoots out, pushing her from the edge. She screams, her arms and legs flailing ungracefully as she flies through the air.

He turns, grinning at us then dives in after her.

“Motherfucker!” Lucy shouts as she surfaces.

She starts to splash water at Elliot, but he only laughs harder than he already was as he tries to grasp her wrists.

“Your turn,” Mase whispers into my neck, his hands braced on my back.

Bollocks. How am I going to do this?

Is there a safe way to jump off a cliff when you know you’re not pregnant, but you might be?

“I’ve got you,” he tells me, probably sensing my hesitation.

Lifting me, he wraps my legs around his waist, locking them together behind his back.

“No frolicking on the rocks, thank you,” Lance shouts in a stupid voice.

I smile down at them all as they look up at us. Lucy looks pissed as hell, and it makes me chuckle.

“Ready?” I can feel Mason’s muscles tense as he steps up to the edge. His shoulders are strained from my weight, his muscles popping in all the right places.

“No. But do it anyway.” I screw up my face and hide my head in his chest. He turns, putting his back to the sea, and then we are free-falling. I hear the slap on his back, and then I am submerged in cold water.

The temperature shocks me, and I fight to reach the surface.

Mason grabs onto me, and I cling to him, wrapping myself around him like a koala. “Oh my god! That was incredible!”

He beams at me with his megawatt smile, and it’s the most honest smile I’ve seen from him in weeks.

I lean in to kiss him, grinning back against his lips.

“What?” he asks in wonder.

“Seeing you happy makes me happy,” I tell him, not being able to take my eyes off him.

He shakes his head, fanning his hair across his face and spraying me with the water droplets and making me giggle.

“I am so fucking happy, angel.”

* * *

I’m sittingon my suitcase trying to get it closed when my phone starts ringing. Looking over at the screen I see that it’s my mum. She hasn’t called in weeks, and I can imagine the only reason she is calling now is for more money.

A smart person wouldn’t answer. I ignored it last time, and she eventually gave up, but in the time that she didn’t call, I found myself a little lost. It was as if she had given up. I’m not sure what on exactly because she only ever called for more money, but it hurt nonetheless. She is my mum, so to see her name flash on the screen now—even if it is for more money—it has hope blooming in my chest.

“Hi, Mum.”

“Nina. I haven’t heard from you in so long.”

My shoulders sag, and I slide from the bed. I never call her. My crappy childhood is on her—she wasn’t there for me, but maybe the way we treat each other now that I’m older is on me too. It’s a two-way street and right now it’s a ghost town.

“Yeah, I have been busy. I have had issues with the studio.”

“Oh, but you are still managing?” she queries.

Do you actually care, though, Mum? “Yeah. Maggie and John have covered a couple of bills this month, and the bank gave me a payment holiday on my loan.”

“I see. Well, I was calling ‘cause I’m a little short this month—” I close my eyes and zone out.

She doesn’t give a crap. I don’t know why I expect anything more from her.

“I’m sure you or your new man can help me out,” she sniggers.

What did she just say? “Excuse me?”

“I heard you have a rich new boyfriend.”

“From who?”

“Can you help me or not?” She sounds so uninterested, bored and calm, too calm.

She sounds high.

I see red.

“Sure, Mum, I will just wire across a couple grand from Mason’s account. He won’t even notice,” I say deadpan, ending the call and tossing my phone.

Why can’t she just be a mother? She doesn’t even have to be a really good one. But right now, she isn’t a bad mum. She is nonexistent. I look down at my stomach as bile rises in my throat.

Oh god.

I rub my hands down my face as I try to calm myself. I could yell at her until I am blue in the face, but it’s just not worth it.

Dropping my hands, I see Lance standing in the doorway, his brows pulled in as he hangs off the frame. “We are leaving in half an hour. Lowell is looking for you.”

“Yeah, I will be down in a minute,” I tell him, composing myself and returning to my suitcase. I don’t want Lance to see my hurt. I need the girls. Or my Mase.